USA – The US Department of Labor has secured a settlement with Mar-Jac Poultry, a poultry processing plant in Hattiesburg, which will see the company pay US$164,814 in penalties and enforce significant safety improvements.
The settlement comes after an investigation by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) revealed serious safety lapses at the plant.
These lapses were linked to the tragic death of a teenage worker who was fatally caught in machinery while cleaning in July 2023.
As part of the settlement, Mar-Jac Poultry MS LLC has agreed to address all identified violations.
The company will also be required to implement several key safety enhancements.
These include adding a new, properly trained supervisor to oversee sanitation shifts and providing updated training for workers who handle lockout/tagout and machine guarding hazards.
Additionally, the plant’s manager and safety director are mandated to complete OSHA’s 30-hour general industry training, while plant supervisors must undergo OSHA’s 10-hour training course.
Further requirements include establishing a system to manage and identify locks used in lockout/tagout procedures, updating relevant programs and training, and conducting a thorough risk and hazard assessment of current lockout/tagout procedures.
This assessment will review past incidents, including near misses, injuries, and any unexpected machinery start-ups or malfunctions.
Mar-Jac Poultry is also required to carry out monthly lockout/tagout safety audits for a year and submit evidence of the steps taken to OSHA to mitigate hazards identified during these audits.
OSHA Regional Administrator Kurt Petermeyer criticized Mar-Jac Poultry for failing to take necessary precautions that could have prevented the worker’s death.
He emphasized that the settlement compels the company to commit to a safer working environment, with increased supervision and training as critical components in reducing risks in meat processing facilities.
OSHA continues to offer no-cost safety consultation services to small and medium-sized businesses to help them develop effective safety programs aimed at preventing serious injuries and fatalities.
Mar-Jac Poultry, based in Gainesville, Georgia, has been involved in poultry production since 1954 and operates facilities in Alabama, Georgia, and Mississippi, serving both domestic and international food service markets.
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